Lessons from Trainer

Meet Trainer. AKA., Daniel Gustin.
As I've been sharing with you in previous posts, I've been working very hard for a good 6-7 months to regain my fitness level. It's something that had been slipping away from me as I found myself so intensely focused on my work ... and feeling tethered to my computer for days on end.

Here are just a few of the many fitness-related things I've learned from Trainer.

1. You might think you can't do something but actually, you'd be surprised to find that you can, if you learn how, and practice. Like 6 months ago, I thought I could never do boy push-ups, never jump rope for more than 1-minute sets, never to Tabata sets on a treadmill, never kick-box. Today, I can do 10 decent boy push-ups, jump for three 3-minute sets, do killer Tabata sets on a treadmill, and I would say I'm becoming a decent kick-boxer. Funny though ... new challenges that Trainer introduces still make me doubt myself. Like right now, I'm learning to jump high onto these tall objects. They scare me. But I'm learning.  
2. To lose weight, you should eat right after exercising and in general, practice moderation but never starve yourself. Slow and gradual loss is longer-lasting and better for you than fast and dramatic loss. It's true. I've been living this truth and seeing the results for the past several months.
3. It's important to stretch. So true. It feels like something that doesn't matter and something you can just brush off but I do them regularly now because I never want to endanger my workout routines to potential injuries.
4. It's important to breathe. Honestly, I've never really thought about the concept of proper breathing but I am realizing how much it is related to exercise. I'm a bad breather. But I'm learning to become better.

As you can tell from the photo above, Trainer has no clue how to crochet. :)

But he can do other things pretty well ... like kick. (And he knows a lot about algea-based biofuels.)

As intimidating as this kick looks, what's great about Trainer and really all great trainers in my opinion, is that they use their expertise and experience not to intimidate and show off, but to educate, empower, and motivate.

Finally ... the most important thing I've learned is that at the end of the day, no matter how great any trainer or any gym may be, it boils down to me and my commitment and my discipline. The discipline to wake up and drag myself into the gym to work my ass off every single day, even when I don't feel like it.

When I am fit, I feel fit not only physically, but emotionally, socially, intellectually. It's not a temporary thing to do and check off my list. It's a new way of living.

PS: Many thanks to Mr. Jill's ... the gym where Trainer and other great trainers train in a safe, supportive, inviting environment.